The effect of a high dose of interferon alpha induction with subsequent interferon alpha/ribavirin therapy in the treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection who have not been previously treated with interferon alpha. This effect will be measured by biochemical(serum aminotransferases), virologic (viral load), and histologic (liver biopsy) means. The hypotheses is that high-dose interferon alpha induction followed by interferon alpha/ribavirin in comparison to standard interferon alpha/ribavirin therapy may improve the eradication rates of hepatitis C in patients who have not previously been treated with interferon alpha.